Monday, June 22, 2009

Installment 8 - Travel beauty log: Japan!

Oooh, wouldn’t we all like to be a rice bran beauty? Well, with a few simple recipes, you too, can be amongst the nuka bijin of Japan. All right, so I’m getting ahead of myself here. Or acting like an advertisement -- I feel like I should be in watercolor with a big grin and a jar in my outstretched hand here. So we’ll just re-start... Japanese beauty secrets are without question the most sought out of all beauty secrets. They are effective, and often times, pretty bloody unique. So in this episode, we shall investigate a few items that can be transformed and used in your home remedy arsenal.

We’ll begin with our ad up there... rice bran. This stuff does everything; prevent wrinkles, clear, exfoliate and cleanse skin, all while moisturizing. Many people like to massage on some of the diluted rice bran oils and let it sit for a while, if not all day. But you can also mash up a bit of beeswax and mix the oil in. If you’d prefer an exfoliating cleanser, you can mix the oil with dry, grated pellets; then mix in some honey, dip a wash rag in the mixture, and scrub gently. Be very careful, though, as it can be a bit rough.

Next, green tea! Yea, I know... tea is tea is tea... but really, this stuff works great in beauty products. You can use it for eye bags (like its black tea sister), or you can use it for a multitude of other treatments. For instance, it can be used as an excellent and quick conditioning rinse; just steep a few bags of the stuff, rinse through your hair, and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes. It will leave your hair soft, shiny, and smelling lovely. What is more, it’s also thought to help prevent hair loss -- so that’s a nice bonus, huh? It is also very simple to use on the face; you simply steep, apply to a cotton ball and rub over your skin.

And finally... something that is not so much a treatment as a technique: facial massage. Facial massage is thought to be one of the best beauty remedies in Japan... and frankly, kiddies, it’s a personal favorite. It feels amazing, drains your sinuses, helps stimulate blood flow, helps prevent wrinkles, AND keeps you nice and supple. You could go to a salon and have Japanese facial massage done, but there are a few things you can do in the comfort of your own home, too. First, wash (wash, wash, wash!) your hands. Next, focus on the indentations of your face; down your jaw-line to the tip of your chin; up and down the sides of your nose, below your eyes, and over your brow-line. Make small circles with the tips of your fingers, and remember to be very gentle below your eyes, as the skin is very delicate. You can use lotion if you prefer, but it is just as effective without it.

So there ya are... a few beauty tips straight from Japan.

Next, a pit stop from our travels at the gas station called: What exactly am I supposed to swallow?!